Music glossary

B
Note of the scale.

Bagpipe
A musical instrument consisting of a windbag connected to two kinds of reeded pipes: drone pipes which produce single sustained notes and a fingered melody pipe or "chanter".

Ballad
A narrative solo song. In jazz and pop music it means a slow sentimental or romantic song.

Ballade
A short lyrical piece for piano.

Barcarole
Music in imitation of a song by Venetian gondoliers.

Baritone
1. The second-lowest adult male singing voice. 
2. An instrument that is second-lowest in pitch in its family.

Baroque
Used for music written between the years 1600 and 1750.

Bass
1. The lowest male singing voice.
2. An instrument that is the lowest in pitch in its family.
3. The lowest part in harmonized music

Bebop
Jazz style developed in the 1940s.

Big band
An ensemble form developed by US jazz band leaders in the late 1920s.

Bluegrass
An instrumental country&western music style characterized by playing of banjos, guitars, violin, etc.

Blues
Musical style evolved from the soulful songs of American Africans.

Bongo
A pair of small drums played with the hands.

Break
A short solo.

Break ad lib
An improvised break.